Science fiction, fantasy, mystery and what-not
Floofcabulary (floofinition) – The body of words used for communication between animals and humans.
In use: “Her floofcabulary was limited to a few human words, such as snack, hungry, bedtime, kiss, etc., which was enough for her doxxie and her to get along quite well.”
Busyfloof (floofinition) – A meddling, prying, officious, or inquisitive animal.
In use: “Jorge was constantly underfoot, which was a problem, as he was a large, white dog with a fluffy white tail that waved liked a conquering army’s flag. They tried to dissuade him, but the busyfloof was involved in everything from fixing meals to changing diapers, greeting people at the door, answering the phone, and typing on the computer.”
Had to give my cat his L-Lysine last night. Like many receiving treatments for something, he dislikes it. The better he feels, the more he dislikes it, and the more aggressively he resists.
Not alone in this, of course. Mary Poppins taught us that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Likewise, many of us treat the situation with a carrot and stick approach – take this medicine, and I’ll reward you.
Talking helps, too. So, I was speaking with T.C., telling him that I know that it tastes bad, but this is medicine that he needs, and I’m only doing it because it makes him feel better, and I want him to feel better because I love him. That all got shortened to, yes, it’s bad medicine, but it’s given with love.
From there, it was an easy switch to Bon Jovi’s 1988 offering, “Bad Medicine”, with T.C. imagined as singing to me.
Thunderfloof (floofinition) – Animal who makes a lot of noise when it runs.
Note: Not to be confused with floofthunder (the rumble of many animals running).
In use: “Pound for pound, the little tuxedo cat was a thunderfloof, making more noise running through the halls than any of the dogs did.”
Nofloofobia (floofinition) – The fear that there won’t be any animals.
In use: “Suffering from nofloofobia, she, aided by her husband and children, constantly saved animals, averaging an animal a week, ignoring their species, or the costs, attending to their needs and injuries, trying to keep the Earth populated with animals.”
Flooftical (floofinition) – Of or relating to addressing and coping with animals.
In use: “On the flooftical front, he learned to make himself small and quiet, to hold his hand out to be smelled, and to let the animal come to him on their terms.”
Floofscue (floofinition) – 1. Mistake or slip by an animal, particularly a houspet. 2. An animal rescue. 3. The signal for an animal to do something.
In use: “Someone’s quiet footfall coming up the walk toward the front door was a floofscue for flooflam as the dogs broke out barking, the birds began talking and squawking, and the cats narrowed eyes to stare down intruders or took flight for hiding places.”
This one was another cat song, to my little ginger Papi boy.
First lines were the hook:
Is it all in that pretty little head of yours?
What goes on in that place in the dark?
The dark, for the cat, is the dark night where he disappears for a few hours in this land of cars, bears, cougars, and raccoons. I want him to stay home and safe, but he insists that he must be allowed to wander.
The Elvis Costello song, though, “Veronica” (1989), is about an older woman suffering severe memory loss, and was inspired by his grandmother. It’s a fortunate few who’ve not witnessed dementia or Alzheimer’s assaulting someone as they’ve aged, stripping away their awareness, coherency, and personality, stealing them away from you before your eyes.
Flooftropolis (floofinition) – 1. Any city with a large animal population. 2. (slang) Expression used to denote any place with a large animal population.
In use: “All the neighborhood cats came around to hang out in Lori’s yard, which was funny, because she had a parrot and two dogs, but no cat. Neighbors began referring to it as flooftropolis.”
Floofabout (floofinition) – Unskilled housepet.
In use: “Mice, birds, and spiders were completely safe in Samantha’s house and yard, as her cats were floofabouts, inclined to loafing in the sunshine with sleepy eyes.”
Michael Seidel, writer 